Unravelings
by WaveRider 53
Summary: He was messing with her; she hated him right now. Hated how his lips turned from a compassionate smile, to horrible smirk. But most of all she hated that it intrigued her, that by one simple line he could get her so rattled up, & hanging on his every word
1. Rikku's Dilemma

Summary:

**Summary:**

**It's a comical horror; I have no where to go, but the place I'm always welcomed, yet I can't go there.**

**Three chapters long. ****I have all of them written, but I'm posting one at a time and only putting the next chapter if I get reviews, a good amount of reviews. (oh no flames, but helpful input would be nice…)**

**Ps. I know this chapter sucks but the next two are awesome… I've never been good at Rikku's Pov so just bare with me… I'm getting better.**

**Disclaimer- I own nothing.**

_Chapter one_

_Rikku's Dilemma _

I don't know when it started raining, but I'm cold, and it's this damn rain's fault. I guess you can say it's my fault for sitting out here in my normal swim top, with only scarf to keep me warm; but if you think about, I don't have any where to go nor do I have anything warmer to change into.

Yep, my life kinda sucks at the moment. But you wanna know the worst part about? I'm used to it. Ever since we beat that Vega-thingy, I've had no where to go. Nowhere that makes me feel welcome and helpful.

I was told I could stay with Yuna and Tidus, but come on, their newly weds, I'm not that dumb to intrude. Even Pain said I could tag along with Baralai and her; their traveling Spira. But, you know that whole, third-wheel thing doesn't sound like fun.

I was going stay with Brother, but a few less than subtle hints, told me he didn't want his sister tagging along with him; poor guy, he still not over Yuna. And going home to Pops is out of the question, so alas, I'm going, or I suppose I was going to last place that would welcome me, not to mention it's the last place I want to be.

Yeah, I was on my way to Djose, I was going to swallow my pride and ask for a room and a job. Honestly, I was going to do it. I got as far as to where the temple came into view; then my body just stopped moving and I found my self sitting on a rock, looking at the temple.

It's not that I'm afraid of rejection, 'cause I know he'll welcome me, he always welcomes me.

He always lets me come in; no questions asked, he gives me a job and makes me feel needed. I can stay as long as I want and when he wakes up one morning to find me gone; he never looks for me.

It's kinda an unspoken tradition we have, but some how this time is different.

Most of the times I come here it's for the money, I work here for a bit and then leave when I get what I need. But this time; this time… I'm not here for the money. I'm here because I have no where else to go.

It's been three years since Vegnagun, and if I enter the temple tonight, it will be the fourth time, since the world is truly calm.

It's really raining hard now, it almost hurts on my bare skin, yet I can't bring myself to walk the short distance to the temple. Honestly, there no logical reason that's stopping me. Inside waits a good warm meal, and a soft bed, two things that I haven't had in at least two months.

I guess, in way I think that's my problem. I know that when I ring that bell this time and he looks down at me, dripping with more than just water, he'll know that this isn't the same as the others.

It's stupid, there no difference between this and the last time I stopped by. He'd never know that I need more than just money, if I put on a good face, a bright smile he should never know.

But here lies my problem again; somehow he'll know.

Somehow he'll see through my smile, and he'll see that I can't do this on my own.

He knows me too well; he knows I need a purpose, I need something to keep my eyes ahead of me and that I always have to be working to reach a goal. He knows that; and he knows that now that we're in a permanent calm, I have no more purpose.

Somehow, in the first thirty seconds of seeing me, he'll pick up on how distressed and frustrated I am. I can't let him see that; and if I see him, there's no hiding it.

Do you see my problem now?

I can hide my true feeling, emotions or whatever, from anyone, anyone that is but Gippal. It's a comical horror; I have no where to go, but the place I'm always welcomed yet I can't go there, because he's the only one I cant hide anything from. And the fact that I'm unraveling cannot be known; not even to the person who holds all my secrets.


	2. Gippal's Concert

Summary:

**Summary:**

**It's a comical horror; I have no where to go, but the place I'm always welcomed, yet I can't go there.** **I know the feeling, only too well, of wanting to go home and not being able to.**

**Three chapters long. ****I have all of them written, but I'm posting one at a time and only putting the next chapter if I get reviews, a good amount of reviews. (oh no flames, but helpful input would be nice…)**

**Disclaimer- I own nothing.**

_Chapter two_

_Gippal's Concert _

It's funny, if you look at the inside of the temple the right way, you can almost see a classical concert music weaving through out the workers. Like the airships that refuse to fire up because of some unknown failure in the engine are the slow deep cellos demanding respect from the fast moving violins, which would be the workers; making fast fixes and some how controlling the powerful cellos. Then you have the flutes, a soft sound, that would be the girls, who go around making sure the workers are getting enough water and controlling the flow of the work room. The brass instruments, that you hear in the background but not always a main part would be from the small machines that tends to take the most of the time for the soul reason that there so many of them. This temple, if you look the right way, is really just a living concert, with me, as the head director. It's my job to make sure every one in running smoothly and on time.

Dear god, what has happened to me? I have gone crazy; but you know, it not my fault, no it's Anne fault.

"Anne!" my voice is loud, on the account that I don't know where she is.

"Yes?" she calls, "one sec, boss." I see her crawling out from under an airship.

A surge of guilt comes over me, I didn't mean to pull her away from something important as an airship, I thought she was working the small machines today… no matter it's too late now.

"Yes?" she asks again once she reaches me, wiping off some oil on her face.

"uhh, I was going to tell you… well it's just that… stop playing your classical music." I finish bluntly.

"what?" she asks again, eyebrows raised. I really do have to teach these kids some respect, I never talked to a superior like that; ok that's a lie, but still.

"Don't play that music anymore." I say firmly.

I can see her shift her weight from one leg to the other, "uhh ok… can I ask why? Just last week you told me it was growing on you."

Ahh we reach the problem, the reason she can't play it anymore, but I'm not going to tell her my reason, or at least my true reason.

"I decided I didn't like it anymore." I come up with lamely.

She eyes me skeptically, "I don't believe you. Tell me the real reason."

I really should teach them respect. "That is my real reason." I fold my arms hoping that it will tell her to back off.

She only raises her eyebrows and crosses her arms too. "If you won't tell me, then I won't stop playing it" she says simply.

"If you play it, I'll fire you."

She smiles and gives me a glare as if to dare me to fire her, "tell me."

My hand instantly goes to my hair, "fine." I've grown soft in my years of working as head of the faction. "I've started… you can't tell any one… well I've started to see the faction as a concert, rather than a work place. It's horrible. I've even named different workers and machines as instruments. But what worst is I'm starting hear the noises of this place, as a song. It's like I'm a composer putting on a concert rather than the head of a working factory." I place my hand over the top portion of my face and slowly shake in back in forth, "I'm going crazy."

When I look back at her, she's doubling over with laughter, getting the attention of the other workers.

"Ok" she says between laughs, "ok, I'll turn off my music." With that she turns and heads back to her airship and turns off her music.

It only takes an hour for me to realize what a mistake it was to tell Anne of my music problem. The workers have started pretending to play various instruments when they see me watching them, and have gotten more 'yes directors' and 'should I work louder for the concert, sir?' than I can count. The faction seems to have decided to make fun of me, yet somehow I find myself laughing; which only encourages them. I truly have gone soft.

The day passes along smoothly and the teasing had died down. The rain that started little over an hour ago has grown harder. But it wasn't till another hour passed that Zeckle told me the weather is too bad to travel in.

"Well, then. The workers will just have to stay here for the night." I could the see disappointed look on his face; I know the feeling, only too well, of wanting to go home and not being able to, probably more than anyone in this temple.

I stride over to the intercom, man do I hate talking into these things. "hey! Everyone. Stop what you're doing and meet in the front hall, I have an announcement."

When a group of about twenty is gathered in the hall, I stepped on to the back of the couch, so I can see them clearly. As I raise my hand to speak; but shout from the back causes me to stop.

"do you want us to sing, sir? 'Cause, Linny here" he claps the man next to him shoulder, "is a hell of a baritone." A few people laugh, though most are sick of the joke by now.

"funny, Elroy" I say shaking my head in shame, thinking of what Cid would say if saw how I was treated. "Real funny. Now, back to the real reason I called you all here," I shoot a look at Elroy who stops laughing at the glare I gave him, "the rain outside is terrible. There's no traveling in it." A few groans escape the workers mouths. "Sorry, but I'm not letting you risk your safety. No one is allowed out side."

The group is silent, as much as we joke and tease each other; it comforting to know that they still see me as their leader and know that what I say goes. "Now we are a full two hours before your shift should end, but seeing as the rain has gotten to us, or at least gotten to me, I would call it a day.

"Those of you who already sleep here, were going to have to double up on rooms. I have extra cots and things for those of you don't sleep here, and we should have enough food to feed us all, tonight and in the morning." I pause for a second gathering my thoughts.

" For those of you who don't know, I shut and lock the back hall, where we work, so if you could clean up the task you were on, whether that means finishing or just putting it on hold is up to you, but the room is getting locked in fifteen minutes."

I look out at the small crowd, their unpleasant faces from learning they have to stay here, look more cheerful now. "You know what? If this rain doesn't let up in the morning, we wont have work tomorrow either," I pause watching their smiles getting bigger, "hell even if it does, lets call tomorrow an unofficial holiday, sound good?" there where cheers and a lot of happy faces now, I couldn't help but to smile. "Alright, well that's it. Go on, go clean your work now, remember, fifteen minutes." I can just picture Cid shaking his head at me, and telling me I'm too nice and they will be walking all over me in a little bit. But I like making them happy, when their happy they work better.

After the back hall was locked and the workers seemed to be getting settled and found their room to sleep in, the main hall was filled with happy chatter; Anne had even put on her classical music again. I truly have gone soft.

"sir?"

I turn to Tex, one of our youngest workers, "Gippal, Tex. Were not working now, so it's Gippal."

"oh, well, err, si-uh I mean Gippal, there's someone out side."

"what? Who?" I clench my teeth, who is that dumb to directly disobey me?

"I don't know. I was just watching the rain and then I saw the figure sitting outside in the distance…" his voice faded, seeming to be afraid that I was mad at him.

"show me." I said quickly, the rain was truly horrible outside, it now at the point where it dangerous.

We walked to the window, and sure enough out in the distance there was a slight shadow of a figure sitting down.

With a glance to Tex, I smile at him and clap him on the back. "Well done, spotting whoever is out there. You have some mighty fine eyes to see that far away without knowing what to look for."

The boy seemed to glow under praise, and he smiled the first big smile I've seen him give. I made a mental note to compliment him in the future, I was going to get his confidence up it was the last thing I do.

Grabbing my jacket, I sneak out the side door, so not to disturb, or visibly break my own rule. The rain was harder than it looked, immediately I almost slip on the wet mud. With the pounding in my ears and the hard droplets falling on my arms making it hard to stand I make my way over to the figure. As I grow nearer, I can tell that it's female and not any of my workers, quickening my pace I can't help but to curse whoever is out here, surly no one can be that dumb to half drown themselves in this blasted rain, when the temple is so near.

The closer I get, the more she starts to take form, with the rain masking my footsteps she doesn't know of my presence, I walk a few more steps and stop out of shock, "Rikku!"


	3. A Challenge

Summary:

**Summary:**

**It's a comical horror; I have no where to go, but the place I'm always welcomed, yet I can't go there.** **I know the feeling, only too well, of wanting to go home and not being able to. She was on the brink of telling him everything, telling him her fear, her deepest secret, and he was teasing her.**

**The last chapter . ****hope you guys liked it, a please review. (oh no flames, but helpful input would be nice…)**

**Disclaimer- I own nothing.**

_Chapter three_

_A challenge_

_Previously: _

_As I grow nearer, I can tell that it's female and not any of my workers, quickening my pace I can't help but to curse whoever is out here, surly no one can be that dumb to half drown themselves in this blasted rain, when the temple is so near._

_The closer I get, the more she starts to take form, with the rain masking my footsteps she doesn't know of my presence, I walk a few more steps and stop out of shock, "Rikku!"_

Rikku turns slightly getting a good look at Gippal, she clenches her eyes shut and turns so her back is too him, willing her tears to stop.

"Cid's Girl?" he says softer, aware that something wrong. He strides over to her and stoops next her, gently he touches her arm.

At his touch she jerks back, but not fast enough.

"Damn it, you're like ice." Not waiting for her to say something, he picks her up to bring her back to the temple.

It was then that Rikku decided that she didn't want to go to the temple she wanted to back in her tiny cot in under the night club or back on the rock, anywhere away from him.

"Put me down." He voice was scratchy from lack of use while she was out here. She coughs violently, making Gippal quicken his pace. "Damn it Gippal!! I don't want to go inside. Put me down. I was happy on my rock.

He laughs wirily, "Not to disappoint you Cid's girl, but that was my rock. You're pale and as cold as ice, you're coming inside. And there's nothing you can do about it." He says cheekily.

She starts to thrash and wiggle in his arms but he tightens his hold, so she won't fall.

He's heading for the main door, to get her inside as fast as possible.

"no, Gip," with her hand she weakly forces him to look at her, "not the main door. A side door please. I- I don't want them to see me like this." He voice is now weak, almost begging him.

He bits his lip but agrees.

He goes around to the side door and quickly gets in, not stopping for anything; he carries her up stairs and to his room, where he places her on his bed.

With the lights on, he can see how her normally tan skin is pale and pasty; her lips are blue as well as part of her arms, legs and abdomen. Allowing himself to glance at her stomach he can see her ribs, she's sickly skinny.

"You can borrow my shorts and a shirt. Get out of those quickly." He forced himself to leave room to give privacy but he stayed by the door, just incase something happened.

Rikku was inside, hands now shaking from the shock of the temperature change, she was fumbling on her shorts button, unable to unlatch it. She would have to swallow her pride even more; she needed help getting out of her wet clothes. "Gip?" she called softly, hoping he was still near by.

Immediately he was in the room at the sight of her still in her wet things he bit back his anger, "why aren't you dressed, girl?" he growled "you need to get out of those clothes fast."

She winced at his tone, she seen him angry at her before, but there was something different about this tone, there was something else there, and that scared her.

"I need help." She raised her hand to show him how much it was shacking.

He couldn't help himself, "heh, well, well, Cid's girl wants me to undress her.." he takes step forward as she scoots father back on the bed, suddenly changing her mind, she can stay in these clothes.

"Come, kid, I was only teasing, but seriously you need to get out of those clothes, and you obviously can't do it yourself."

Admitting defeat she stands up, letting him step closer to her till she feel his hot breath.

Slowly he touches her wet shorts and undoes the latch letting them fall to the floor, next he pulls off her yellow panties, for a split second her looks down, but as soon as he does she hits him, "Gippal!" she warns but her hit was no more than a tap, she truly was very weak.

"sorry girl, but you can't blame me for looking." He shrugs, apparently unaware at how horribly awkward this is for her.

He hugs her close working over her shoulder to undo her bikini strap, after a few seconds it too falls to the floor. Immediately Gippal had to use all his self-control not to hold her or kiss her. Normally he was good about keeping his hands off Rikku, don't get him wrong, he was tempted, but she was too good for him, he would hurt her, and that would be one fault he couldn't live with.

But now, with her naked and in his room, he was seconds from taking her.

Quickly he throws her one of his shorts and his new white shirt.

Numbly she slid them on, but not feeling any wormer.

"Can I take a shower" she asks.

"yeah, of course, use mine." He states lamely. "I'll be down stairs, just call if you need me." he leaves and sits down outside his bed room door, not feeling up to leaving her alone longer than he has to.

After thirty minuets, she opens the door.

"Gippal?" He looks at her, she has most of her color back, "can I have a place to stay? And a job?"

"yes," he gets up "what happened Cid's girl?"

She smiles sheepishly, "can this be one of those no question asked things?"

"No, not this time." He walks over to his bed, and motions for her to sit down.

Slowly she sits down next to him, glad to be warm but kind of wishing she was back outside so she wouldn't have to answer his questions..

"you haven't been the same, Cid's girl. What happened?"

"What do you mean I'm not the same? I was just cold. I'm fine now." she lied through a smile.

"Cut the shit hun. It's not becoming."

Glaring daggers at him, she sticks out her lower lip, "what's it to you if I changed? I grew up Gip. You know something you haven't done yet."

He eyes her skeptically, "so not eating, nearly killing yourself out in the rain, rather than ask for help is growing up now?"

"ouch." It leaves her mouth before she had time to think about a response. She was going to break any second, she could feel it. He's on to her, and she's going to spill everything.

She feels his hand on her thigh, shivers run up her spine, but their good shivers, electrifying shivers. Shivers she hasn't felt in four years.

"Tell me what's wrong, Rikku." He asks knowing if he uses her name she'll know he's serious.

"I can't. Don't you see? I have to figure it out on my own. I can't tell you. I'm sorry." It was the truth, she didn't want him to know; he's always been so tough, he got the faction running by himself, he got all these things going for him, and he did it alone. If she tells him, he'll know that she's not strong enough to do it alone.

"Why do you have to do it alone?" he whispers, barely talking.

Her defense flares immediately, "you out of all people should now that?" she screeches at him, throwing her hands up in frustration. "You got the faction. People who look up to you. Do you realize that there are people out there that want to be you? And you did it all alone. You didn't have anyone help you. I need to do that. I need make something of my own."

"Is that what you think, Cid's girl?" he had an edge to his voice, that was amused. "your father didn't tell you?"

She was mad now. She was on the brink of telling him everything, telling him her fear, her deepest secret, and he was teasing her. He was messing with her; she hated him at the moment. Hated how his lips turned from a compassionate smile, to horrible smirk. But most of all she hated that it intrigued her, that by one simple line he could get her so rattled up, and hanging on his every word. But what's worse is that he knows he had this power over her, and he uses it.

"no. and I don't want to know." She folded her arms and turned her back to him.

He however knew her game and he played his cards masterfully, "ok, then…" he left the bed and walked over to the mirror, examining his face. "You're still going to tell me whats wrong."

Oh how she hated him. Three minutes went by and she couldn't stop thinking about something her father did and didn't tell her, something he did for Gippal. Those three minuets felt more like three hours.

"no. your going to tell me what my father did." She gave in, he knew how to play her, and the most important rule for any game is to know when to give up and admit defeat.

"I thought you said you didn't want to know?" he smirked at how this same game has worked since they were nine.

"I changed my mind. You know, a woman does have a right to." She sneered casually

"oh, and they do, they change their mind so much they never know what they want." He watched her struggle down a yell, determined not mess up so he will tell her exactly what she said she didn't want to know.

"are you going to tell me? or do I have to ask him?" her arms were crossed again. Gippal glided back over to the bed and sat down closer to her than before.

"your father" he whispered, "helped me out a lot. He gave me the faction, paid people to work for me. He even paid important people to say I was doing a good job. Now sweetheart, don't get me wrong, I still had to work my ass off, but I would have never made it with help."

There are no words to describe Rikku's face, but if any would come close it would have to be a mixed of awe and shear shock. Yet those two words pay the expression no favor, but if one thing can be said, Gippal found it very hard to keep a level head, to him the look was shear attraction. It was a look he was given only once before by the same person. The last time it was given he, being a boy of sixteen and a walking hormone, kissed her, and quite possibly ruined their friendship forever, by falling in love. Now four years later he receives that look again and he's almost destroyed by it, after four years, he's still in love.

"Now," he continues voice a little shaky but hiding it well, "what in the world makes you think you have to do it alone?

She swallows knowing she going to tell, knowing that she's going let him in. "it's just…growing up I always had everything I wanted. I was Cid's only daughter, and yeah, I was spoiled. But a good spoiled, not a spoiled rotten brat."

At this moment Gippal found it hard to stop himself from telling her that she was brat. "That's one of the reasons I liked being your best friend, you didn't give into me, or be nice to me because I was Cid's kid; hell you were mean to me. But it was challenge, making you be nice to me was a challenge, and I loved it. But as we know when I reached fifteen, you left. I was lost and confused, so I gave myself another challenge. One that I was told was impossible, I was going to save my cousin. So things didn't work out liked I planned, I become her guardian but it didn't matter, she's alive in the end, so I saved her. My challenge was complete. There was no time to feel lost or useless after this feat because not even a week later I was working with the Gullwings. Sure it didn't seem like we were working towards something in the beginning, but the three of us knew we were trying save Tidus. Somehow in the middle of that we decided that we were also going to save the world again, and we did. We destroyed Vegnagun.

"So… you get it. Practically my whole life I was always fighting for something, it was like my life was an action movie in fast-forward. And after the true calm, after Vegnagun it was like someone hit stop. I don't have a purpose anymore, nothing to fight for. So I gave myself a new challenge; one that would take me life time to complete. I was going to live. I was going to live a normal life. But I'm failing, I can't do it. I can't hold onto a job, and without a steady paycheck, I can't buy food.

"God, I must sound pathetic. I helped save the world twice, but I still find myself living in a basement underneath a strip club, sleeping on a cot I only have reserved because the fat slim ball of an owner has a thing for me." Gippal raised an eye brow, unhappy at that fact that she quite possibly could be sleeping with that guy for a room.

"yeah" she continues either unaware or ignoring his expression " I could go home right now and live off of my Pop's money and be a princess again, but I cant let myself. I was given everything I ever needed, until I was fifteen and left to help Yuna, and even after that my family took care of me and friends when we needed it. No this last challenge I have to on my own."

He was stunned, to say the least. Running a hand through his hair, Gippal wraps his arms around her. "You can have a place to stay, and even though you don't have to work for it, I'll give you paycheck, every other week just like my own workers." He said into her hair. "But Cid's girl… kid. Look at me." he pulled himself off of her so she could look him in the eye but he still kept his hands firmly on her shoulders, "let me help you with this challenge of yours. Because I can tell you, this last one you gave yourself, is one everyone has, and no one does it alone."

"How are you going to help me Gip?" she looked him straight in the eye, "by giving me a job you're doing more than any one has, how else can you help me?"

"By being your friend, Rikku, that's how. By being the one you tell everything too. Let me be the one that can put my arms round and make sure you're taken care of."

"why" her words were barely audible, "why would you want to do that for me?" at his words she allowed her heart started to soar, she's loved him. She's loved him since they day he kissed her, the day he said he was leaving.

He told her that he was going to kill sin, that he would make the world safe again and that he would bring pride back to the Al Bhed name. It was then that she looked at him with such awe, shock and rage, that she couldn't say anything. She was in awe that he was so brave and that he knew what he wanted to do, shocked that he could be that much of an idiot to chase after sin and so angry at him because he was leaving her.

She guesses that she loved him way before that time, but with that kiss, which she later decided was a goodbye kiss, she knew that she loved him.

"Because…" he leaned forward and sweetly kissed her on the lips, gingerly deepening it, but before she could react he pulled away. " I need you too,"

She kissed him, this time little rougher until he pulled away again.

"Besides Cid's girl, I think it's about time you realize, that you're not just Cid's anymore." He taped her on the nose with his finger, "your mine too; you always were. I had a piece of you ever since that day when you were fifteen and I was sixteen."


End file.
